TromboneChat

Around Christmastime last year, one Mr. Charlie Vernon was generous enough to lend us at O'Malley his prized NY 50 trombone (NY 50 bell and tuning slide, Shires axials, modern Bach 562/578 slide with fixed leadpipe). As you might imagine, the instrument plays beautifully - rich sound and extremely responsive.

We took a resin mold of the inside of the bell and many many many many measurements. From those measurements (and accounting for the idiosyncrasies of the spinning process), we have made a bell mandrel based on this bell.

We are now accepting orders for bells spun on this mandrel, typically one piece bells with a french bead, made with traditional techniques.

More information can be found at https://www.omalleyhorns.com/products/b ... bone-bells, via email at [email protected], or I am happy to answer any questions here on the forum. Note that the photos on our webpage are of a tenor bell, we do not have a fully polished bass bell available for photos yet.


(Mods, feel free to move this post if this is not the appropriate board)

Oh WOW. I wonder if anyone has a Conn Fuchs bell they could send you.

This is really cool! Is the new bell going to be a similar thinness to Charlie's? As I understand it, his bell is rather think while still being able to hold up.

Interesting, I didn't know Bach made .562/.578 slides

Is the slide long like the Bach's from the 70's? Would love to try a dual Bore long slide with my Minick G ContraBass.

Rrova wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 12:12 pm This is really cool! Is the new bell going to be a similar thinness to Charlie's? As I understand it, his bell is rather think while still being able to hold up.

This reminds me that there's a Silver Plated Bach 50 customized bass from the George Thatcher collection at Horn Guys that he had silver plated to make the bell a bit thicker. If I recall, the Bach process for 1 piece bells results in quite a bit of stretching of the brass.

bassbone1993 wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 12:21 pm Interesting, I didn't know Bach made .562/.578 slides

They do not. As in, it's a one-off for him.

Burgerbob wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 1:16 pm

bassbone1993 wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 12:21 pm Interesting, I didn't know Bach made .562/.578 slides

They do not. As in, it's a one-off for him.

That's what I suspected. Surprised they haven't done it since I believe Conn makes a dual bore slide.

to no-one's surprise, I bought one already

I'll be doing a bass build next year. I had planned an Edwards, but now I'm having second thoughts...especially if they could do a reversed tuning slide.

tbonesullivan wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 11:25 am Oh WOW. I wonder if anyone has a Conn Fuchs bell they could send you.

/waggles eyebrows suggestively

But seriously, I do have one downstairs…. We should talk!

Cheers,
Andy

Burgerbob wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 1:51 pm to no-one's surprise, I bought one already

lol that was quick!

Rrova wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 12:12 pm This is really cool! Is the new bell going to be a similar thinness to Charlie's? As I understand it, his bell is rather think while still being able to hold up.

Yup, it should be about as close as you could get to Charlie's bell. The nature of spinning a one-piece bells that large generally results in a very thin flare.

The modern Bach bells are made using a different process.

MahlerMusic wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 12:55 pm Is the slide long like the Bach's from the 70's? Would love to try a dual Bore long slide with my Minick G ContraBass.

The outer tubes were approximately 27" long. Seems to be the same as a modern Bach.



Thanks, Aidan!

Blabberbucket wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 3:51 pm

Rrova wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 12:12 pm This is really cool! Is the new bell going to be a similar thinness to Charlie's? As I understand it, his bell is rather think while still being able to hold up.

Yup, it should be about as close as you could get to Charlie's bell. The nature of spinning a one-piece bells that large generally results in a very thin flare.

The modern Bach bells are made using a different method.

Well, time to start saving up!